BP's LPG business taken over by AmeriGas

As a result, AmeriGas has become one of the market leaders, alongside Orlen Gaz (in autogas segment) and Gaspol (bulk tanks and 11-kg bottles).

We have just finalised BP Europe SE's LPG business takeover. It goes to show how important the Polish market is to UGI Corporation and Flaga Group, which AmeriGas Polska is a part of, and how much potency for further development remains untapped in it. We are glad we will be able to use over 20 years of our LPG distribution experience on a far wider scale. For us it's a historic moment.

Jerzy Szablewski, COO, Amerigas Polska

© gazeo.comDetails of the merger operation were presented at a press conference

Thanks to the merger of two medium-sized companies, a new AmeriGas Polska, the market's co-leader, is founded. 126 employees until now hired at BP Europe SE's office in Cracow and three divisions across Poland will be joining AmeriGas Polska's staff. The company's operational potential has expanded, now embracing six bottling plants and – apart from them – six regional distribution centres, as well as two LPG cargo terminals. It is expected to improve logistics operations as the most immediate effect.

Integrating the two businesses is now the biggest challenge. It should be done in a way causing no inconvenience to customers, which means also drivers buying autogas at BP-branded fuel stations shouldn't notice the change.

According to Jerzy Szablewski, Poland remains one of Europe's major, most important and prospective markets. Over 5,4 million Polish households still use LPG bottles on a daily basis. The numbers of bulk tanks for both domestic and industrial use and autogas-converted cars are also on the rise. As Mr Szablewski added, AmeriGas Polska is proud to be a part of the market's ongoing development.

AmeriGas Polska is a part of the Flaga Group, itself one of the three European business divisions of the UGI Corporation. The brand AmeriGas was launched in Poland in 2010 after the takeover of Shell Gas Polska. Now that BP Europe SE's business has been integrated into AmeriGas Polska, the new entity will employ over 350 people across its divisions in Poland.